"romp and circumstance"

Only one thing would have me sitting in a smelly gymnasium on rickety bleachers at 8:30 in the morning. That one thing being watching a granddaughter graduate from Kindergarten.

Kindergarten age kids have it all figured out. They know when an occasion calls for exuberance and they aren't afraid to show it. As we watched all 60 or so kids walk through the arch and receive their "diploma", it was fun to see how some of them expressed their feelings regarding the occasion. Some skipped across the gym floor, one or two waved, there was even a curtsy, and some walked soldier-straight, but they all were wearing big smiles as they enjoyed their brief moment in the sun.

After graduation, the MOTH and I took our little graduate out for breakfast and enjoyed listening to her commentary regarding the morning. Her mom and pop took her to Dollywood for the afternoon and then we all met at a fantastic icecream parlor this evening.

And just in case you doubt that the kindergarten set doesn't have the best outlook on life let me relate a little experience my daughter had this past week with our favorite 5 year old. She was cleaning out the goldfish bowl, when one of the little slippery orange things accidentally went on the swim of his life down the kitchen drain. Horrified, not so much at the fish's fate, but at Hilary's reaction she nervously told her what had happened. Hilary's reaction caught her mom by complete surprise. On hearing the news, she said, "Well, he just grew up! I am so proud of him!" I don't think she'll have any problems with empty nest syndrome when her own children take their swim down the drain if this reaction is any indication.